Ten Year Reunion
by MaisieWrites
Summary: It's been 10 years since Santana Lopez has set foot in Lima, Ohio, but it's her high school reunion and she'll be damned if she misses the opportunity to show her old classmates the woman she's become, especially the love of her young life who kept her firmly in the friend zone.
1. Chapter 1

"Close your eyes, relax your limbs, breath in deep... Now, send a prayer to the universe..."

"This is such bullshit" Santana scoffed, a 7am yoga session with a hippie Australian was _so _not where she wanted to be this early on a Friday morning, yet here she was.

"Shhhhh" her best friend, Quinn, scolded from beside her. It was entirely Quinn's fault she was here in the first place, don't get her wrong, Santana likes working out, she prides herself on her toned physique, so when Quinn suggested they take up yoga, Santana was all about that life, who doesn't want to be more flexible? However, what Santana was not prepared for was Mr. I'm at One with the Universe, the Earth and Stars and Moon, and All Other Kinds of Bullcrap, that taught the class. She was fairly certain he wasn't even a fully qualified yoga instructor and he made her super uncomfortable with his super upbeat attitude (for real, who has that much enthusiasm before noon?!), and super soothing accent that boarderlined creepy whenever he praised her with "Good girl, Santana" every time she contorted her body into any given position.

"Think of someone you love and send good vibes their way for the rest of the day." At this, Santana actually snorted, _was this guy for real?! _This earned her a pretty vicious arm-swat from her friend, who Santana didn't even need to open her eyes to know was glaring at her.

"Thank you everyone for participating today, see you next week."

Santana and Quinn rose from where they lay on the dewy grass of Griffith Park, and rolled up their yoga mats.

"Must you behave like a child _every _week?" Quinn snarled.

"Oh _come on_! You can't tell me a little piece of you doesn't die inside whenever he tells you to pray to the universe, or sun God, or whatever?!" Santana retorted, hoping to get her friend on her side.

Quinn didn't respond, but Santana could tell from the way her shoulders drooped ever so slightly, and how she fought a smirk, that she agreed with her.

As was their usual routine, Santana and Quinn headed to the Coffee Bean off Hillhurst after their class, mostly because Santana insisted she was likely to stab her intern in the eye with her 6 inch heel if she didn't get coffee in her system before 9am, and Quinn wasn't brave enough to call her bluff. They situated themselves in the farthest corner of the patio area when _"__**Because I'm happpppyyyy**_" sounded from the side pocket of Santana's backpack and she cringed.

"Isn't that Dani's ringtone?" Quinn questioned upon seeing her friend's reaction and lack of movement to answer.

"Yeah."

"So why do you look like you'd rather ingest a fistful of pins than answer it? Trouble in paradise?"

Santana knew Quinn well enough to know that she was only half teasing. Quinn merely tolerated her girlfriend at the best of times.

"_No!_" Santana snapped at how hopeful Quinn was that her relationship was destined for doom. "It's just that she knows our high school reunion is coming up and she keeps getting on my case about coming back to Ohio with me."

"I can't believe you're even going..."

"Why wouldn't I?! I'm hot now, remember?"

"Yeah, but I recall the Santana Lopez who walked out those doors vowing to 'never return, even if a meteor struck the Earth and the only salvation were in the hallowed halls of McKinley High.'" Quinn laughed, mimicking Santana's post-graduation words.

"Yeah, well, I'm not the same person I was back then." Santana mumbled, taking a sip of her hazelnut latte.

"So what's the big deal with bringing her?" Quinn challenged.

"We've only been dating for 4 months, and she'd have to meet my parents. I've never introduced a girl to my parents. That's a big fucking step, Quinn, and it's not something I want to rush into."

"Well, you ca't avoid it forever..."

"I'm well aware, but thanks for the reminder."

"Any time" Quinn smirked over her own coffee.

"Uhm, do you know who else is gonna be there?" Santana questioned after a pause, trying as best she could to be blasé. She knew Quinn was pretty good with keeping up with people from high school, Santana on the other hand, had maintained exactly one friendship, and that was with the girl sitting opposite her right now.

"I imagine most of the senior class. Mike and Tina are definitely going, Puck's a maybe, as is Rachel, I think Kurt mentioned he'd try but may be in London visiting Blaine, I can't imagine Sam has anywhere else to be, Mercedes said she wouldn't miss it for the world, Artie's shooting some Indie movie in Brazil so it's doubtful he'll make it..."

"And that's everyone?" Santana pressed, knowing full well her friend was holding out on her, but needing confirmation none the less.

"If you're asking what I think you're asking... which I know you are, Brittany Pierce is still living in Lima, so I can't imagine she won't be in attendance." Quinn took another sip of her coffee, not even trying to hide her smirk this time.

Santana avoided eye contact, but responded, "Cool."

"_**Because I'm happpppyyy"**_

"You'd better answer that." Quinn said, the smug smile on her face almost glowing.

Santana glared at her, but answered the call.

"Hey Dan... Mhmm, yeah... Saturday... I'll book the tickets today, my parents can't wait to meet you too."

Santana cancelled the call, raising a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at a surprisingly surprised Quinn.

"What?" She questioned.

"Nothing. Nothing at all..." Quinn's tone pissed Santana off, as did the self-satisfied smile she hid behind her paper cup. "So, do you wanna head home Friday evening, or Saturday morning? I think it would be a _Britt _better to go the day before, but it's entirely up to you."

"Fuck off" Santana muttered, taking a large gulp of her drink.


	2. Chapter 2

_Brittany. (The following Wednesday)_

* * *

"Hey Britt! You're here early?" Rory commented, glancing at his watch to make sure he hadn't set it wrong again.

Rory was the manager of the most popular bar in town 'Flanagan's' in Brittany's opinion, he was a little young and incompetent to manage such a thriving establishment, but his dad was the owner, and his grandfather before that, so she supposed he was simply being groomed to take over the family business.

"Hi Rory." Brittany smiled over to at her boss, but it lacked it's usual glow. "Yeah, my car's been giving me a bit of trouble lately so I had to take the bus. I was actually wondering if I could maybe pick up a few extra shifts around here? It's a bit pricey to fix it, even with the discount Finn offered me."

Rory frowned slightly, and his voice was laced with apology "I'm sorry, Britt, but everyone's looking for extra work lately and we already have enough hands on deck." Upon seeing the dejected look Brittany was attempting to disguise, he offered "But hey, I could maybe see if Sugar wants to give up some of hers! After all, she's really only working here as a favour to her dad to help her appreciate the value of hard work; she doesn't even work that hard."

"Thanks, Rory. I really appreciate it." And she did appreciate it. She liked working here but sometimes it made her feel so stuck. Brittany had always wanted to go to veterinary school, but her grades had been so poor in high school that she barely graduated, and then her dad lost his job so she stuck around to help out with the bills, and just never left.

It didn't get her down much, she loved Lima and her friends here, but lately she'd just been feeling really unaccomplished. She put this feeling down to her upcoming 10 year high school reunion which was set to take place on Saturday. Though she had maintained contact with most of her fellow classmates that had remained in town, she was nervous about seeing the ones she hadn't kept up with.

Brittany had been popular in high school, and well liked by the entire student body; she'd even been voted senior class president, and it just made her feel like she'd failed in some way that she'd peaked so young.

Not one to dwell too much on things that made her unhappy, she carried about her work day as usual, smiling at customers, and smiling even bigger at the large tippers.

/

"Ugh! Life is _so _unfair." came a high pitched voice from behind her. She turned and gave her co-worker a smile that said 'I know you're about to hit me with one of your first world problems, and I can't wait to hear it'.

Sugar Motta came from an obnoxiously wealthy family. Her father was some sort of oil tycoon, and they'd lived in New York for most of Sugar's life, however, when she turned 21 and started blowing all her trust fund on expensive clothes and swanky clubs, her father decided he needed to reel her back in. With that intent in mind, he moved them out to Lima and away from the big city, he also put her on a strict allowance and insisted she get a job to learn that money didn't actually grown on trees (for years he'd had a housekeeper clip $20 bills to a fake plant that he placed in the corner of her bedroom because she'd been so excited at the prospect of a money tree. She was a daddy's girl, after all).

"Daddy's girlfriend's moving in with us and she's banned Bravo! Can you believe it?! She says _The Real Housewives _are a bad influence and my watching it is only encouraging future bad behaviour!"

Sugar seemed genuinely distressed by the prospect of being cut off from her favourite reality show. Brittany couldn't help but find it amusing; she'd offer to let Sugar watch the show at her apartment, but she didn't have cable.

Feigning understanding, Brittany placed a hand over her heart and asked in monotoned, faux exasperation, "Whatever will you do?"

He co-worker shrugged, "Short of breaking them up, I really don't know... "

Brittany became worried, Sugar was a sweet girl (pardon the pun) and Brittany really liked her, but she couldn't be friends with someone who knowingly set out to hurt her own father. "Sugar, you _can't _do that!"

The other girl simply rolled her eyes "I know that, silly! My therapist said it would be highly unorthodox and the Mandy sized hole in daddy's heart would be much bigger than _The Housewives _would be in mind. I just wish she wasn't such a step-monster!"

Brittany couldn't help but genuinely laugh at Sugar's dramatics, but catching sight of the clock on the wall, she changed the subject "As terrible as that all sounds, can you take over the bar? I gotta clock out early tonight to catch the last bus home."

She removed the apron from around her waist and bid goodbye to the few customers that were sitting at the bar, as well as Sugar, and the bus boy, Ryder.

/

The bar boomed on weekends but was always quiet mid-week, which she enjoyed. She liked interacting with the older customers who frequented then, they were great conversationalists and exceptional story tellers. Weekend customers generally just barked orders and made a mess, but she liked the fast pace of those nights too.

* * *

The bus stop was at the end of the block, and though it was late April and the weather had picked up a lot, it was still rather chilly, so Brittany tightened her jacket around her and checked her phone. She saw one text from Tina asking her if she wanted to go shopping on Friday for something to wear to the reunion, but figured she'd just respond later, and there was a missed call from her mom.

She dialled the number she knew by heart and smiled at hearing the familiar voice at the end of the line. "Honey! How are you?"

"Hey mom, I'm good, just finished work. How're you? How's dad? I'm sorry I haven't called over yet this week, I've been having car trouble."

"Do you want your father to come take a look?" The older woman sounded concerned, but Brittany graciously brushed off the offer.

"No, it's fine, I talked to Finn over at the garage and he said he'll fix it up."

"Oh, that's good." Her mother's voice was much more relieved, and perked up even more when she continued "Guess who I bumped into at the supermarket today?"

Brittany smile warmed at the cheeriness in her mother's voice, she loved gossip and the supermarket was a hub of it for the middle aged housewives of Lima, and Brittany loved to humour her, "Who?"

"Gloria Lopez!"

Brittany's face scrunched up in confusion; even though her mother couldn't see, she took her silence and a cue to continue.

"You know! Dr. Lopez's wife! You went to school with her daughter."

The information then resonated with Brittany, she was familiar with Dr. Lopez, but remembered his daughter vividly. Santana. Brittany always liked Santana; though they didn't run in the same social circles, Santana was always very nice to Brittany, and even secretly tutored her in math, free of charge.

Unbeknownst to their friends, the pair actually hung out quite a bit outside of school, mostly at each other's houses during the day while their parents were out.

Remembering she had yet to say anything to her mother, she responded "Yeah, I remember her now."

"Well," her mom took a dramatic gulp of air and Brittany knew the gossip was on it's way "apparently their daughter's a lesbian now! Can you believe it? And she's bringing her girlfriend up here this weekend for the reunion!"

The news surprised Brittany, not Santana being a lesbian, she'd always suspected Santana of harbouring a small crush on her when they were friends, but she was surprised that Santana would be going to the reunion. Whenever they hung out, Santana was always very vocal about how much she loathed Lima, and high school in particular, and would tell Brittany how she couldn't wait to escape to college, and then she'd move to Los Angeles and never set foot in this shit-hole again! (Santana's words, not Brittany's).

Brittany returned her attention to her mom, informing her that the bus had arrived and she had to go, but telling her she'd be over on Friday night for their weekly family dinner.

/

The entire bus ride home, Brittany thought of Santana, it had been a very long time since she last had. A whole decade, in fact. She wondered if she'd changed much from the chubby, nerdy, soft spoken girl Brittany once knew; she wondered how her life had changed since escaping this small town, and she wondered about her girlfriend, and if she too, is as kind as Santana used to be.

She expected Santana's acne had probably cleared up, but found it difficult to imagine, and she was curious to know if she still wore the same thick rimmed glasses she used to wear. Brittany also figured Santana had probably had her braces removed, and found herself excited to see her smile, sans metal train tracks. Brittany had always thought Santana to have a beautiful smile, but Santana often hid it, or at least she did when she noticed she was smiling. Like many people with braces, Santana was hesitant to flash them, but Brittany liked seeing Santana smile, it always made her eyes look shinier and kinder than they already were.

Brittany all of a sudden wasn't as anxious about the forthcoming reunion as she had been earlier. Thinking of Santana reminded her what the whole point of it was; how exciting it would be to see the adults the people she knew as kids, had become.

* * *

When she reached her apartment, she quickly ran to the thermostat and turned it up; she then changed out of her work uniform and into an old cheerleading t-shirt and some sweatpants; grabbing a fleecy blanket, she made her way to the bookshelf in the living room, pulled out her old yearbook and sat on the couch.

She flicked through the pages until she found the one she was looking for. It was a picture of the high school glee club. Brittany remembered how she would sometimes stand idle in the hallway after school listening to the soft crooning voices of the glee club, but she never dared enter, that would have been social suicide, but she often wished it were a cool thing to do because it seemed like a lot of fun the way Santana would describe it.

In the middle of the picture, next to the sweater-vest clad teacher holding a giant runner-up trophy, stood Santana. She was wearing an 'I Heart Kelly Clarkson' t-shirt, and her smile was _so _big, she didn't even seem to care that you could see her braces, and her chubby cheeks looked as squeezable as ever (Santana used to hate when Brittany would say this to her, but she'd still offer to let her do it, which, in retrospect, Brittany realised now was actually pretty weird, and may have been mildly offensive to a plus sized Santana), but Brittany's favourite part of the picture was how you could see how genuine and nice Santana was just by looking at this photograph. Granted, Brittany had not seen that many pictures of the other girl, but she had decided this was her favourite. She nestled further into the couch, switching on Netflix, and thinking that Saturday couldn't come fast enough.

She was excited to see her old friend.

* * *

**A/N: So, I decided to try something different with this fic and alternate between perspectives. Not sure how that'll go down but I guess we'll see in the next few chapters when the girls reunite! **

**Anywho, if you're so inclined, check out my other fics, A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes, and Above the Sky I Am Limitless. You can find them on my profile.**

**Thanks for reading! **


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